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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Season-opening college football games are always tricky calls, and the University of Louisville’s 2021 opener against Ole Miss became trickier Saturday with the jarring news that Rebels’ coach Lane Kiffin will miss the game with a breakthrough case of COVID-19.

Kiffin is the Rebels’ talented play-caller, the guy who developed and directed an Ole Miss offense that led the Southeastern Conference by generating 555.5 yards per game last season.

But in an appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay Saturday morning, Kiffin said that he will not travel with the team to Atlanta.

It is undetermined who will fill in as the acting head coach. The Ole Miss offensive coordinator is Jeff Lebby. Like Kiffin, Lebby is starting his second season with the Rebels. An Oklahoma grad, Lebby coached at Central Florida for three seasons before joining Kiffin’s staff.

TIME: Monday, 8 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.

WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN:

*TV — ESPN (Rece Davis, play by play; Kirk Herbstreit, analyst; Molly McGrath, sidelines).

*RADIO — Cardinal Sports Network, 840 WHAS (Paul Rogers, play by play; Craig Swabeck, analyst; Jody Demling, sidelines).

THE LINE: Ole Miss favored by 10 points. Over/Under total points is 76.

THE LAST TIME: The programs have never played.

RECORDS: Season opener for both teams. Louisville finished 4-7 last season while Ole Miss went 5-5, finishing its season by defeating Indiana, 26-20, in the Outback Bowl.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

PLAYER TO WATCH (Ole Miss): Quarterback Matt Corral is considered the top quarterback in the Southeastern Conference as well as one of the five best in the nation. This is his fourth season in Oxford and his third as the Ole Miss starter.

A 4-star recruit from California, Corral led the nation in total offense last season with 384.9 yards per game. He’s a 70% passer who threw 6 touchdown passes against Vanderbilt and 4 against Kentucky. He also had a 91-yard TD pass against South Carolina, the longest in school history.

PLAYER TO WATCH (U of L): Halfback Jalen Mitchell moved into the starting lineup after Javian Hawkins opted out late in the 2020 season — and Mitchell looked like a dynamic force in the Cards’ rushing attack.

He had 76 yards against Virginia, scored touchdowns against Syracuse and Boston College and then exploded for 168 yards on 20 carries as the Cardinals routed Wake Forest in their season-ending game. At 5-foot-10, 221 pounds, Mitchell can take on tacklers and deliver yards after being hit.

SIDELINE STORYLINES: How will Ole Miss react to Kiffin’s absence on the sidelines as a play-caller? Ole Miss posted 459 yards or more in its five victories last season … although the Rebels return Corral and top halfback Jerrion Ealy, they must replace their top 2 receivers … Louisville faces a similar challenge of replacing its playmakers. Although Mitchell looks primed to step in for Hawkins, quarterback Malik Cunningham must operate without his two two targets (Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick) who had 10 of Louisville’s 20 touchdown receptions last season … reports from Louisville’s final two scrimmages were that the defense generally outplayed the offense, stirring more confidence in coordinator Bryan Brown’s unit.

THE QUOTE: Ole Miss defensive back Jaylon Jones, on the comparisons between U of L quarterback Malik Cunningham and his predecessor and friend Lamar Jackson:

“Dual-threat, not exactly like Lamar, but he's close to it,” Jones said. "You have to respect his feet. You have to respect his arm. The dude can throw. He's a good quarterback. As long as we can contain him, we'll have a good day."

THE PICK: Ole Miss 38, Louisville 31.

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